Sealing means for cartons



Nov. 29, 1949 M'. G. RODRIGUEZ SEALINGMEANS FOR CARTONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17. 1947 twill!! HVVENTR. MANUEL @.RODRlGUEZ ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1949 M. G. RODRIGUEZ SEALING MEANS FOR CARTONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 17. 1947 JNVENToR. MAN UBL C5. RODRIGUEZ ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1949 M. G. RODRIGUEZ SEALINGMENS FOR CARTONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17, 1947 IN VEN TOR.

. 8. MANUEL e. RODRIGUEZ WA'M lkml. fa/14" ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEAIJIN'G MEANS FOR vCALRTGNS Manuel G. Rodriguez, New York, N. Y.

Application April 17, 1947, Serial No. 7424173 12 Claims. 1

This invention relates t an improved sealing means for cellular cartons such as 'are used to package eggs or other generally lsimilar articles for retail sale.

This improved sealing means is designed to be used with egg cartons of the 'general type disclosed by Reissue Patents Nos. 19,250 and ;,143, in which individual cells are provided vfor the eggs. ln such cartons the individual cells are Vformed by a longitudinally-extending, central, vertical partition, and a series of transverselyextending, longitudinallyspaced partitions which extend through slots in the bottom wall of the carton and are themselves slotted to receive the longitudinallyextending partition. transversely-extending partitions are freely removable from the carton by merely pulling 'them out through the slots in the bottom of the carton. Because of this construction, the contents of the box may be 'tampered with, even though the top is sealed, by merely removing these transversely-extending partitions.

More Avspeciiically the invention contemplates the insertion of a sea-ling tape or string through the vertical partitions of the `carton to secure thereto the body of the carton so that they cannot be removed. This will prevent tampering with the contents of the carton.

The invention will be further described in connection with the accompanying drawings in 2-11.

which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of Van egg 'carton ernbodying the sealing means of the present invention, with one iside thereof being shown open, prior vto its sealing,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the central portion 1of the carton,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view 'through one end of the carton, the same being taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one end of a carton showing a modiiied form of sealing means,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one end 'of a carton showing a further modiii'cation 'of the sealing means,

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one end ci a carton showing a still further modification of the sealing means,

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional View oi a carton showing another form of sealing means, and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of 'a carton embodying a still further modification of the sealing means.

As disclosed in the aforesaid residue patents,

These the carton is formed froma blank whichfis rfolded along a longitudinal center line and lupon itself to form a -longitudinally-extending partition which divides the carton, longitudinally, into two sections. The blank also is vfolded longitudinally to form bottom walls 2 and 2', side walls 3 and 3, top or cover walls l and 4', and tuckin flaps 5 and E', for each section.

lThe bottom walls are provided with a series of transverse, longitudinally-spaced slots 6 through which cross partitions l are inserted, 'to form with the central longitudinal partition, a series of cells for the reception of eggs or the like. The cross partitions are formed with slots S extending inwardly from their upper edges for receiving the longitudinally-extending partitional vand the tuck-in iiaps 5 and 5', as shown in Fig. 2. At one side the slots 8 are widened at the entrance ends to facilitate insertion of the tuck-in flaps.

Cartons constructed as set forth above have been extensively used. However, as the cross partitions l have merely been held in place by friction, it has been possible to readily withdraw them from the bottom of the box, even though a sealing tape or the like has been secured across the two top or cover walls l and t. Hence it has been possible for an unscrupulous person to tamper with the contents of the carton without in any way disturbing a seal placed across the top.

In order to prevent withdrawal of the cross partitions l', and consequently tempering with the contents of the carton, each cross partition l of the carton shown in Figs. l to 3 is formed with slots 9 and 9 in those portions thereof which lie just inwardly of the bottom walls 2 and 2'. Sealing tapes it and it of paper, cellophane, or the like, or in some instances cords, are threaded through the several slo-ts 9 and 9 and, when the cells are lled, lie against the bottom Walls `ii and 2. The sealing tapes extend upwardly along and are secured by adhesive or otherwise to the outer sides of the cross partitions l' at the ends of the carton. rhe tapes then are threaded through slots li and ll formed in the portions of the top or cover walls ci and 4 which extend beyond. the cross parti tions, and their ends overlapped at the top of the container and adhesively or otherwise secured together. Thus the tapes function as locking or sealing means to prevent withdrawal of the cross partitions l through the slots in the bottom walls and removal of the contents through the open ends of the sections at opposite sides of the longitudinal partition l.

The sealing means for the carton shown in Fig. 4 is identical in all respects to the sealing means for the carton of Figs. l to 3, except that the end portions of each sealing tape 2li, instead of extending entirely along the top or cover wall 24 of the carton and being secured to one another where they overlap, are secured by adhesive, staples or otherwise directly to the outer surface of the end portions of the closed top or cover walls of the carton.

In Fig. 5 a carton is shown in which the sealing means is identical with the sealing means shown in Fig. 4, except that just inwardly from the place where the end portions of the tapes 33 are adhesively secured to the outer surface of the top or cover wall 3d, that wall is provided with slots 32 through which the ends of the tapes are passed to lie within the carton.

Instead of applying adhesive to the underside of the ends of the tapes which overlie the top of the carton for adhesively securing them to the carton, as shown in Figs. e and 5, a seal 39 may be placed over the ends of the tapes :it and fit and secured to them and to the top of the carton, as shown in Fig. 5. In all other respects the sealing means in this form of the invention is the saine as the sealing means of the preceding forms of the invention.

In Fig. 7 I have shown sealing means which differs from the sealing means of the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 5 that the slots and lili in the top wall or cover are located nearer to the longitudinal center of the carton, and the cross partition-s 5l and 5l" at the end of the carton are formed with slots and 53 through which the tapes are threaded from the outer ends of the cartons. Alter heng threaded inwardly through the slots 53 and 53', the tapes pass over the cells at each end of the carton and n upwardly and outwardly through the .sT-.ots y are adhesively secured to the outer surface of the top or cover walls 52. The ends of the tapes then are passed downwardly and inwardly through slots 5t so as t0 lie inside the carton. f desired, the slots not be pro vided and the ends of the tapes caused to overlap and be secured to one another, or to one another and to the outer surface of the top wall or cover 52, as in the manner shown Figs. l and 4, respectively.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 embodies the basic idea of utilizing sealing tapes to prevent removal of the cross partitions. Howu ever, instead of the slots te being formed in the cross partitions tl' near their lower edges as in the preceding forms of the invention, they are formed near the upper edges of the partitions. The sealing tapes l@ are threaded through the slots Si? and then doubled back upon themselves above the upper edges of the cross partitions and the ends overlapped and adhesively or otherwise secured together. If any attempt should he made to withdraw the cross partitions through the bottom of the carton, after the cells thereof have been filled with eggs or other similar articles, the tapes will bind against the top of the eggs and thereby prevent withdrawal of the partitions.

In all forms of the invention, except the form shown in Fig. 8, the free ends of the sealing tapes 'will be secured to one another or to the outer surface of the top or cover wall of the carton after the carton has been lled and closed. In the ernbodiment disclosed in Fig. 8, the ends of the tapes 4 will be secured to one another after the carton has been lled, but before it has been closed.

From the aforegoing it will be apparent that the present invention provides a very effective, yet inexpensive means of sealing or locking the cross partitions of egg and like cartons against withdrawal, and consequently prevents tampering with 0r removal of the contents of the carton.

Various changes may be made in the details of the invention without departing from the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. A carton comprising confining walls, partitions constructed and arranged to form cells within the confining walls, at least some of the partitions extending into the carton through slots in one of the confining walls, said last-named partitions having openings in them within the carton, and a separate sealing strip extending through said openings and secured against removal.

A carton as set forth in claim l in which the sealing strip is secured against removal bv having the end portions thereof attached to a part of the carton.

3. A carton comprising confining walls, partitions constructed and arranged to form cells within the conning walls, at least some of the partitions extending into the carton through slots in one of the confining walls, at least some of the partitions and one of the confining walls having openings in them, the openings in said partitions being within the carton, and a separate sealing strip extending through the openings in said partitions and in said confining wall and being secured against removal.

4. A carton as set forth in claim 3 in which the sealing strip is secured against removal by being attached to the outside of the conning wall having the openings therein.

5. A carton as set forth in claim 3 in which the sealing strip is secured against removal by having the ends thereof secured together.

6. A carton comprising conning walls, partitions constructed and arranged to form cells within the confining walls, at least one longitufinally-extending partition, a series of transverse, longitudinally-spaced cross partitions, said partitions cooperating to form cells within the carton, one of the confining walls extending beyond the cross partitions at the ends of the carton, said one of the confining walls having an opening in the extending portion at each end thereof, at least some of the cross partitions extending into the carton through slots in one of the confining walls and having openings in them within the carton and adjacent to one of the confining walls and a separate sealing strip extending through the openings in said cross partitions and said one of the confining walls and secured against removal.

7. A carton as set forth in claim 6 in which the sealing strip is secured against removal by being attached to the outer surface of said one of the conning walls.

8. A carton as set forth in claim 6 in which the sealing strip is secured against removal. by having the ends thereof secured to one another.

9. A carton as set forth in claim 1 in w i i the openings in the partitions are in the upper portions of the partitions and in which. the sealing strip after extending through said openings extends back over the upper edges of said partitions and has its end secured together.

10. A carton as set forth in claim 6 in which the sealing strip is secured to the outer surface of said one of the confining walls, and said one of the conning walls is provided with at least one additional slot, and the sealing strip, after being secured to said outer surface, is passed through said slot to the inside of the carton.

11. A carton comprising conning walls, at least one longitudinally-extending partition, and intermediate transverse partitions, said partitions being constructed and arranged to form cells,

said transverse partitions extending through slots in one of the confining walls, each o said transverse partitions having a slot just inwardly from said conning wall and the end transverse partitions each having an additional slot near their inner edges, the confining wall lying adjacent the inner edges of said transverse partitions having a pair of slots therein, inwardly from said end partitions, and a sealing strip extending through the rst-mentioned openings in the transverse partitions, upwardly along the outside of said end partitions, through the second-mentioned openings in said end partitions and the openings in the conning wall adjacent the inner edge of said end partitions and secured against removal between said two openings in said confining wall.

12. A carton comprising confining walls, partitions oonstructed and arranged to form cells within the confining walls, at least some of the partitions extending into the carton through slots in one of the confining walls, said last-named partitions having openings in them within the carton, and a separate sealing member extending through said openings and holding said partitions against removal.

` MANUEL G. RODRIGUEZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 15,532 Fellowes Jan. 23, 1923 Re. 19,143 Benoit Apr. 24, 1934 Re. 19,250 Coyle July 24, 1934 500,296 Reber et al June 27, 1893 1,127,073 Morton Feb. 2, 1915 1,154,457 Taylor Sept. 21, 1915 1,228,287 Boswell et al. May 29, 1917 1,922,560 Sullivan Aug. 15, 1933 

